IPL 2021: How Rishabh Pant plotted the dismissal of MS Dhoni in CSK vs DC, Avesh Khan reveals

Delhi Capitals seamer Avesh Khan cleaned up MS Dhoni on a duck in their opener against Chennai Super Kings, which Rishabh Pant and his boys won by seven wickets.

How Rishabh Pant plotted the dismissal of MS Dhoni in CSK vs DC (IPL/File Photo)

Avesh Khan started the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League on a rousing note, something the 24-year-old claimed as a dream come true moment. The Delhi Capitals pacer cleaned up MS Dhoni on duck in their opener against Chennai Super Kings, which Rishabh Pant and company won by seven wickets. 

With Ishant Sharma being sidelined for the initial stage of IPL 2021 due to an injury, Avesh made the perfect use of the opportunity and claimed 14 wickets in the eight matches he played before the lucrative T20 league was postponed due to COVID-19 cases emerging inside the bio-bubble. He also stood as the leading wicket-taker for Delhi and such was his performance that he got a call in India's squad as a reserved player for the upcoming World Test Championship final and five Tests against England. 

Talking about the moment, when he claimed the prize scalp of Dhoni that too on 0, the 24-year-old said it was his captain and swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, who helped him plot the dismissal of the veteran cricketer.  

“Only a few overs were left, and Pant knew Dhoni would try to hit out. But he also knew that Dhoni was playing after a gap of four months, and it won’t be easy for him. Pant told me to bowl just short of a length. I did just that. Dhoni tried to hit, but got an inside edge and was bowled,” Avesh told The Indian Express. 

Avesh in the contest dismissed Dhoni with a back-of-a-length delivery, pitched outside the off-stump. Dhoni tried to smash the incoming delivery towards the on-side but the ball took an inside edge and knocked the stumps.

The seamer also revealed how Pant helps him from behind the wicket as he prepares himself to bowl.

“When I was about to start my bowling run-up, I used to look at Pant. At that moment, the batsman is watching only me, and not anyone else. So, if Pant wants me to bowl a yorker, we have a sign for that. If he wants me to bowl wide outside off, I knew from his sign,” added Avesh.